ATLANTA, GA – March 21, 2024 – The CDC recently reported that U.S. life expectancy at birth in 2022 is 77.5 years, about a 1-year increase from 2021. There are fewer deaths from COVID-19, heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and homicides, according to the report. The life expectancy had dropped in 2020 and 2021 due to the large number of COVID-19 deaths and drug overdoses. In 2021, the U.S. life expectancy was 76.4 years, the lowest since 1996. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the life expectancy was 78.8. The peak life expectancy was almost 79 in 2014.
The 10 leading causes of death for 2022 and 2021 are the same, although some of the causes changed ranks. The leading causes of 2022 deaths in the U.S. are heart disease and cancer, and have been since the early 1990’s. COVID-related deaths fell from 3rd to 4th, more than a 50% decline from the previous year. Accidents and unintentional injuries like drug overdoses increased from 4th to 3rd, although the number of overdose deaths were similar between 2021 and 2022. Over the past 20 years, drug overdose deaths were almost 4 times more frequent.
Rising infant mortality rate, from low-birth-weight newborns, congenital problems, and sudden infant death syndrome, contributed to lowering the life expectancy rate. The infant mortality rate increased by more than 3% between 2021 to 2022.
Life expectancy can be determined from birth and at age 65. Life expectancy at birth for women exceeds men by more than 5 years. The average male lives almost 75 years in 2022; while females live to 80. For persons at age 65, the life expectancy is almost 84, females exceeded males by 3 years.
The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy among large, wealthy countries; however, it spends much more on health care per capita. These countries have life expectancy above 80 years and per capita health care spending from about 40-64% of the U.S.: Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland and Japan.
Listen to the full report below:
Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]
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